NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed higher again as more fear evaporates from Wall Street. The S&P 500 added 0.6% Thursday, its fifth gain in the last six days.

The benchmark index is headed for a gain in March after struggling in earlier weeks on worries about whether the banking system was cracking under the weight of higher interest rates.

Forceful actions by regulators worldwide have helped restore confidence.

Also boosting stocks have been big bets that the Federal Reserve may cut rates in coming months. But such expectations are also raising concerns of their own for some professionals on Wall Street.